..:: India Strategic ::. Navy: Oman Navy to consider buying patrol ships from India

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Editorial

Oman Navy to consider buying patrol ships from India

By Vishal Thapar

Published: September 2015

New Delhi. Oman will consider buying patrol ships from Indian shipyards, according to the visiting Chief of Omani Navy Rear Admiral Abdullah al-Raisi. "If we have a project, Indian shipyardss will be invited.... We do have some projects in our next 5-year Plan which starts next year, and we have to replace our patrol boats...We hope that it will be an open tender. Those shipyards wich are interested will be invited," the Oman Navy Chief told India Strategic September 7 after his ceremonial welcome here.

"In fact, one of the Indian shipyards built tugs for us. They were also involved in other projects. I wish them all the best in future projects."

Oman's large coastline and its strategic location at the Strait of Hormuz, vital for oil supplies from the Gulf, as also to the piracy-hit waters makes it necessary for the Sultanate to have a robust naval patrol fleet. Rear Admiral al-Raisi made a reference to the replacement of the Province class Fast Attack Craft (FAC) of the Oman Navy as part of its modernisation plans.

While welcoming him with a ceremonial guard of honour, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan said the Omani Chief's visit will open up new avenues of cooperation. Oman was the first Gulf country to hold high-level military exercises with India about a decade ago. This was described as a vital strategic toe-hold for India. "We have a very close relationship with the Oman Navy. This visit will open up new avenues of cooperation," he told India Strategic.

Two Indian public sector shipyards - Goa Shipyards and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) - have competence in building patrol vessels. These shipyards have supplied patrol vessels not only to the Indian Navy but also to Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives. Private sector shipyards L&T and Pipavav are also capable of building naval patrol vessels.

In the recent past, India's Goa Shipyard lost out to Singapore's ST Marine in a $703 m Omani programme of 2012 to replace four Province class fast attack craft. ST Marine won an order to build four Fearless class patrol vessels, which are also currently in use by the Singapore Navy. These 55-m vessels have been designated the Al-Ofouq class for Oman.

If an Indian shipyard does succeed in getting an order for supplying patrol vessels or other naval ships for the Oman Navy, it'll mark a major breakthrough - the first significant sale of military equipment by India to a Gulf nation.

The Indian Government has already told various ministries to ensure strong relations with the Gulf states as their security and stability and that of the Indian subcontinent are interlinked.